Lions draft CB Darius Slay early in second round

ALLEN PARK — With their second- and third-round NFL draft picks the Detroit Lions filled draft needs and worked toward their goal of getting bigger, stronger and faster.

Cornerback Darius Slay (Mississippi State) was selected in the second round, followed by offensive guard Larry Warford (Kentucky) in the third round on Friday.

Both will compete for starting jobs. Slay to start next to Chris Houston and Warford to fill the opening at right guard.

Slay had the fastest 40 time (4.36) among defensive backs at the NFL Combine. He said he gets his speed naturally.

“My mom and dad both ran track so I’ve been pretty fast for a long time,’’ Slay said on a conference call.

Slay, who is 6-foot and 192 pounds, tore meniscus in the offseason.

“I feel like I’m moving real good right now,’’ Slay said on a conference call Friday night. “It never really did (bother me), they just did an MRI on it and saw something there, a torn meniscus and that was it.’’

“We’re very aware of where he is physically right now,’’ Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said. “He’s in good physical condition. We’re aware there’s an issue with his knee and we’re comfortable with that.’’

Mayhew wouldn’t speculate whether he will be ready to participate in organized team activities in May. Coach Jim Schwartz said it’s not a long-term injury.

“We’ve been trying to find that big corner, we’ve talked about that. Everybody is looking for that guy,’’ Mayhew said. “He has a lot of that same stuff. He’s good in press coverage, he’s physical against the run.’’

Slay said when he visited the Lions a few weeks ago they made it clear they were interested.

“I’m ready to compete, I can’t wait to get Detroit,’’ Slay said on the NFL Network immediately after the pick.

In the first round on Thursday night, the Lions drafted defensive end Ziggy Ansah out of BYU.

Coach Jim Schwartz said Warford has been called “Big Larry” since he was 5. That’s unlikely to change in Detroit for the guard who is 6-foot-3 and 333 pounds.

If Big Larry wasn’t so big he might not have been drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round (65th overall) on Friday night.

Warford started 37 straight games as the right guard at Kentucky and was all-SEC in 2012

“He’s a big man that can anchor and can hold up inside in pass pro(tection),’’ Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said. “That was one of the appealing things about him as a player.’’

In 2012 Warford made all 12 starts for the Wildcats and led the team in knockdown blocks (45), grading out at 90.3 and he didn’t allow a sack.

“I’m pretty aggressive. But more than that I feel that my knowledge of my position and what I’m supposed to be doing is the most important so I can play a lot faster than if I was edgy about that stuff,’’ Warford said on a conference call. “I feel like I’m a really great run blocker and pass blocker. I want to try to keep progressing as a player, try to get better and become an expert on my position.’’

If there’s been a knock on Warford it’s his weight and keeping it in control. He’s been working out since leaving Kentucky with former NFL center LeCharles Bentley. Warford said it’s not so much the pounds as it is the body composition.

As part of the offensive line, Warford will be asked to protect and work with Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush.

“II wasn’t thinking about that until you said it, my heart leaped a little,’’ Warford said. “There’s extra motivation. I was in high school when Reggie Bush was at USC that guy was crazy good. ... All those guys, it’s ridiculous, I’m extremely excited right now.’’